dress casual

[minhduc]

Hello,
I am reading the novel Close to home by Robert Dugoni.

Each wore a suit, though without the tie. Seattle might be changing, but Faz and Del were not. No tie was dress casual for them.

I would like to know the meaning of "dress casual" in this case. Would you like to help me? Thank you.

 

[PaulQ]

It should be punctuated:
Seattle might be changing, but Faz and Del were not. No tie was "dress: casual" for them.

"dress: casual" is usually found as guidance or advice - an abbreviated instruction - on invitations to a social gathering.
"dress: casual" means "You should dress in clothes that are casual (i.e. not formal).

 

[minhduc]

Thank you.

 

[kentix]

I think it would also work fine with just quotation marks.

No tie was "dress casual" for them.

It's reported speech of a person (real or theoretical) who made the invitation, "Come to our party and dress casual."

Dress is a verb in that case.

 

[Edinburgher]

Dress is a verb in that case.

Indeed, and therefore it should say "dress casually".

 

[Hermione Golightly]

"Dress:Casual" is what I have seen on invitations. I have never once seen the adverbial form - suffix-ly used.
It is a formula, not an order.
(I might have seen 'Casual dress'/'Formal dress', but they are too vague to be useful.)

 

[minhduc]

Thank you.